The recognition of dwindling energy reserves in the face of the increasing energy demands has focused considerable research and development effort on the sun as a source of energy. Numerous systems for collecting and storing solar energy have been designed, particularly in recent years.
A compact self-contained solar energy collecting and storage unit of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,720 has been built by the assignee of the present invention. Experience in the construction and use of such solar furnaces has revealed the desirability for even more economical solar energy absorbing means than the metal cups disclosed in such patent. Such metal cups are relatively costly to manufacture. Because the cups enclose a lot of air, they consume a lot of space during shipment from the cup-fabricating point to the solar furnace assembly point. Furthermore, the material cost of a cup-type collector system is increased by the use of an additional metallic heat absorbing backing plate behind the array of cups.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved solar energy absorbing system suitable for use in a low-cost type of solar furnace.
The most pertinent prior art known to applicant includes the device disclosed in the aforementioned 3,946,720 patent, the fins disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,931,578 and 3,089,670, and the baffle arrangements in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,680,437 and 3,902,474. Neither of the fins of the 2,931,578 and 3,089,670 patent disclosures utilize the integral backing plate disclosed herein, with its fabrication and mounting advantages, nor are such prior art fins oriented relative to the air flow as disclosed and claimed herein.